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JULY, 1928)
MISCELLANEA
131
and shears, for supplying him with square pieces of the metal of nearly the proper weight. On the other side is a person whose business is to adjust the weight more accurately after it has been formed into its shape. The silversmith receives back the small lumps, heats them red-hot, and, taking them up with a pair of small forks, gives them two or three smart blows on the angular points, then strikes the piece flat, and gives it afterwards one or two rapid turns on its edge, accompe nied by gentle stroke of the hanımer; and it thus receives its rudely round form ready for the die. Before this operation, however, it is taken to another man to clean, by boiling it in a mixture of tamarind and salt. The planchets are then taken to receive the impression or inscription. This is formed by two steel dies; one firmly fixed in a heavy raised block, and the silver piece being placed on it; the other die, in form of a large heavy punch, is placed above by one man, whilst an assistant gives it a smart blow with a heavy hammer, one blow suffices. These men are relieved every two hours.
"The number of rupees being thus completed, they are carried to the assay-master, and, if approved, the fees are paid and the coin taken away by the proprietor, for circulation, If not approved, they must be recoined at his expense; no fees being, however, again taken, but merely a trifle given to the melter for remelting them, with the proper quantity of purer metal to rerluce them to the assay touch. Should an extra number of refiners be required on an emergency, they receive the same duos as the others; but, as they have to find their own fluxes, they pay but one quarter instead of half to Government."
It is of interest to reproduce here remarks of my own (Coins of the Modern Native Chief of the Panjab, Indian Antiquary, vol. XVIII, Pp. 321, ff.) "Griffin, Rajas of the Panjab, in a long footnote extending over pages 286-289 (not quoted], gives the detailed report of General R. G. Taylor, at one time Agent to the Lieutenant-Governor of the Panjab for the Cis-Satluj States, on the mints of those States, which is of much value in connection with this paper, and indeed with the study generally of the methods of Oriental niints. Any one who has entered into Indian or Oriental numismatics generally, must be convinced that, where the European method of minting has not been adopted, Orientals coin now as they have done at any time these 2,000 years. Any knowledge, then, that we can gather now of the working of a. genuine Eastern mint will no doubt explain what has occurred in Eastern mints as a rule since the days that coins began to be used.
(To be continued.)
MISCELLANEA. THE NWESHIN.
differ in its reproduction from the normal type The Journal of the Burma Research Society,
of snake. As evidence, many & person is prepared vol. XVI, pt. iii, is entirely taken up with
to swear to having seen a creeper shoot, the outer
part of what had already changed into the head Geology, Zoology, Botany and Engineering, and
and neck of the mwegein, while the remaining is not a promising issue for the research to which this Journal is devoted. Nevertheless it contains
portion continued vegetable. Lastly there is the An item of great folklore interest. On p. 213 is a
nweshin (literally, live creeper), which is believed to short note on the Nweshin, or the snake that issues
become alive and motile on reaching water. A from an aquatic plant. It is given here in full.
slightly different version holds that the meta.
morphosis is not actually effected, the nutshin R. C. TEMPLE.
romaining & creeper but becoming so active as easily "The Nwoshin, by S. G. Ghose (Department of to be mistaken for a snake. [Specimens of nweshin Agriculture). That animals may originate from submitted for examination were found to belong plants is a popular belief in Burma. The animal to the Phylum Nemathelminthes, Family Gordiidae. is regarded, not as & metamorphosed plant, but The habit of this worm of coiling-often in masses as a portion budded off, the plant remaining as a -round stems of water-plants and occasionally separate entity. The classical example is that becoming detached, and of the larval form, of the charming Princess Padonmadevi, who issued hatching its egg-strings wound round water plants from a lotus flower (padonma). Again, the and departing in search of its host, afford & ready mudacin (literally, green snake) is believed to arise explanation of the abovo belief. Editor, Journal, from corta in croopers, and correspondingly to Burma Research Society.]
